Novak Djokovic: Against Del Potro, It’s A Very Even Match, I’ve Got To Give It My All
Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro collide again later today at Indian Wells. Djokovic leads 12-4 in their head-to-head but del Potro knocked him off at the Rio Olympics first round and then had a break advantage in the third in Acapulco before letting it slip away a few weeks ago.
And in their only Indian Wells meeting, del Potro came out on top in the 2013 semifinals.
So the 5-time champion Djokovic is wary of another encounter with the Argentine, especially this early in the tournament.
“I have to give it all,” Djokovic said of the matchup. “That’s what it takes to beat this guy.
“He’s tough player to beat. He’s big guy, big serve, big forehand. Definitely not the draw that you like early in the tournament and that you wish for, but it is what it is. I have played him some weeks ago in Acapulco. Very close match. You know, it went down to last couple of points. I don’t expect anything less than that. Very even match, and I’ve got to give it all.”
And if Djokovic wins, he faces the prospect of either Nick Kyrgios or Alexander Zverev, and then potentially Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. So to win a fourth straight Indian Wells title will be no easy task.
“I can’t really pace myself and think about what’s coming up after that, because I really have, you know, tough players to beat in the next round,” he said of this draw.
Also, today Djokovic is trying to win his 300th career Masters 1000 match and the 762nd of his career, which would tie him with Pete Sampras for 10th in the Open Era in match wins.
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